Skip to content
Vatican Observatory
  • About
    • Overview
    • Team
    • FAQ
  • Telescopes
    • Overview
    • Telescope Images
  • Latest
    • Overview
    • Resources
    • Press
    • Audio
    • Video
    • Research
    • Authors
      • FAQs
    • Newsletter
    • Tucson Meteor Cameras
  • Podcast
  • Education
    • Overview
    • Resource Center
    • Image Gallery
    • Summer School
    • Books
    • Software
    • Additional Resources
    • ACME
    • Ambassadors
  • Shop
  • Calendar
  • Support
    • Overview
    • Donate Now
    • Sacred Space Astronomy
      • View Content
    • Fr. Coyne Fundraiser
    • Bequests / Trusts
    • The Foundation
      • Newsletters
      • Annual Reports
  • Press
  • Specola Vaticana
  • Contact
    • Contact
  • About
    • Overview
    • Team
    • FAQ
  • Telescopes
    • Overview
    • Telescope Images
  • Latest
    • Overview
    • Resources
    • Press
    • Audio
    • Video
    • Research
    • Authors
      • FAQs
    • Newsletter
    • Tucson Meteor Cameras
  • Podcast
  • Education
    • Overview
    • Resource Center
    • Image Gallery
    • Summer School
    • Books
    • Software
    • Additional Resources
    • ACME
    • Ambassadors
  • Shop
  • Calendar
  • Support
    • Overview
    • Donate Now
    • Sacred Space Astronomy
      • View Content
    • Fr. Coyne Fundraiser
    • Bequests / Trusts
    • The Foundation
      • Newsletters
      • Annual Reports
  • Press
  • Specola Vaticana
  • Contact
    • Contact

Solar Experiments 1

By Deirdre Kelleghan  |  18 Sep 2021  |  Sacred Space Astronomy

Share:
  • Share on Facebook
  • Share on Twitter
  • Share on LinkedIn
  • Share via Email
September 1st 2011 Solar Sketch East limb proms,Active Region 1283 , Magnetic field lines, Large filament. 10:50 UT PST 40 / 8 mm TVP eyepiece - 50 X Pastel , Conte, Pencil
September 1st 2011 Solar Sketch East limb proms,Active Region 1283 , Magnetic field lines, Large filament. 10:50 UT
PST 40 / 8 mm TVP eyepiece – 50 X
Pastel , Conte, Pencil

Solar memory

This week Facebook memories brought me a solar sketch from 2011. It reminded me just how much I love drawing the sun. It is always a massive challenge to capture detail using the 40 mm objective offered by my tiny solar telescope. On every occasion , the dilemma of drawing solar detail requires experimentation with materials.

In my field of view, the solar disc presents itself as a restless circle a little more than 20 mm or so in diameter. The entire disc is covered in a matrix of fibrils like brain dendrites. This pattern still cries out for a method to depict it in a drawing. Depending on the detail offered on any given day, I would use a dinner plate, side plate or CD to create the orb in full on in part. Obviously, I draw the action more extensively than it is to the eye. Otherwise, not very many people could look at it without a magnifying glass.

Effort

Grated pastel is a material that lends itself best to solar sketching in colour. At least, that is part of my effort to capture the sun in the h-alpha view. The atmosphere can help or hinder a drawing like this. Brief moments of perfect clarity followed by tortuous eye-straining to see any detail at all. Sometimes I wish there was an easy access space-based observatory for humans.

There were several proms on the solar limb. These seemed to be the most interesting on the eastern limb.Some magnetic field lines around AR 1283 stood out for several seconds in reasonable detail, so I sketched them in with pencil over the pastel. That’s why they appear a little shiny as pencil does that when used over pastel. Mindfulness

Mindfulness

Obviously, I am constantly retuning and refocusing the telescope to capture all these features on a piece of paper. The sketch was created using a CD. The features of the sun exist at many levels in the solar atmosphere. One can only try to capture them as they are offered. Nevertheless, it is a privilege to observe our star in as much detail as possible. Being mindful of the suns role in the formation of the solar system while drawing is very grounding.

Here is a previous solar experimental drawing

Share:
  • Share on Facebook
  • Share on Twitter
  • Share on LinkedIn
  • Share via Email

Sacred Space Astronomy

The Vatican Observatory’s official digital community and online magazine.

Become a Member

Recent Posts

From the Backyard: Tracking Down Comet c/2022 e3 (ztf)

By Fr. James Kurzynski  |  30 Jan 2023

ⓜ Full Moon-th Meetup: 5 February, 2023

By Robert Trembley  |  30 Jan 2023  |  Sacred Space Astronomy

Astronomy in Art & Architecture: A “Laudato Si” Mural on the Highway to Climate (and Light Pollution) Hell

By Mr. Christopher Graney  |  28 Jan 2023

The Astronomer Who Questioned Everything: The Story of Maria Mitchell

By Faith and Science  |  24 Jan 2023  |  Resources

Archives

      • January
      • December
      • November
      • October
      • September
      • August
      • July
      • June
      • May
      • April
      • March
      • February
      • January
      • December
      • November
      • October
      • September
      • August
      • July
      • June
      • May
      • April
      • March
      • February
      • January
      • December
      • November
      • October
      • September
      • August
      • July
      • June
      • May
      • April
      • March
      • February
      • January
      • December
      • November
      • October
      • September
      • August
      • July
      • June
      • May
      • April
      • March
      • February
      • January
      • December
      • November
      • October
      • September
      • August
      • July
      • June
      • May
      • April
      • March
      • February
      • January
      • December
      • November
      • October
      • September
      • August
      • July
      • June
      • May
      • April
      • March
      • February
      • January
      • December
      • November
      • October
      • September
      • August
      • July
      • June
      • May
      • April
      • March
      • February
      • January
      • December
      • November
      • October
      • September
      • August
      • July
      • June
      • May
      • April
      • March
      • February
      • January
      • December
      • November
      • August
      • June
      • March
      • January
      • November
      • October
      • December
      • November
      • April
      • May
      • January
      • December
      • September
      • May
      • March
      • December
      • November
      • February

More Posts by
Deirdre Kelleghan

The Lunar Occultation of Mars 2022

By Deirdre Kelleghan  |  8 Dec 2022  |  Sacred Space Astronomy

Let’s Draw our Moon

By Deirdre Kelleghan  |  6 Dec 2022  |  Sacred Space Astronomy

Deadly Moons aka Смертоносні Місяці

By Deirdre Kelleghan  |  22 Nov 2022  |  Sacred Space Astronomy

Europa

By Deirdre Kelleghan  |  25 Oct 2022  |  Sacred Space Astronomy

Wizard Prominence

By Deirdre Kelleghan  |  7 Sep 2022  |  Education

Einstein drawing

By Deirdre Kelleghan  |  7 Aug 2022  |  Sacred Space Astronomy

View More

Newsletter

Upcoming astronomical events, scientific breakthroughs, philosophical reflections… just a few reasons to subscribe to our newsletter!

  • *
Vatican Observatory
  • About
  • Telescopes
  • Latest
  • Podcast
  • Education
  • Shop
  • Calendar
  • Support
  • Press
  • Specola Vaticana
  • Contact
Privacy Policy  |   Cookie Policy  |   Disclosure Statement

Podcast:

  • Apple Podcasts Listen onApple Podcasts
  • Spotify Listen onSpotify
  • Google Podcasts Listen onGoogle Podcasts
  • Stitcher Listen onStitcher
  • Amazon Alexa Listen onAmazon Alexa
  • TuneIn Listen onTuneIn
Made by Longbeard